LA CLIPPERS: GUARDS: CHRIS PAUL is back with the Clippers, and this time with his handpicked head coach. Not that Doc Rivers will make a big difference though, as he's just as uncreative an offensive tactician as Vinny Del Negro was . . . J.J. REDICK will do less ball-handling than he did in Orlando the first half of last season, but he should feast on the wide-open looks Paul creates for him . . . JAMAL CRAWFORD will once again be a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. He's a pure gunner with some creativity to his game . . . DARREN COLLISON is strictly a back-up after a dreadful one-year stint in Dallas . . . WILLIE GREEN, a starter in name-only last year, may be squeezed out of the rotation. FORWARDS: BLAKE GRIFFIN deferred more often last season, especially as he continues to see more double teams. But he did show improvement as a passer . . . JARED DUDLEY steps into Caron Butler's old role. He'll set up for a lot of wide-open corner threes. His reputation as a quality defender is downright wrong . . . MATT BARNES will often close games due to his defense, and he's coming off one of his best offensive seasons . . . Rookie REGGIE BULLOCK is the kind of spot-up shooter the Clips want to surround Paul with. If Bullock's defense matches up with his athleticism, he could break this rotation . . . It's tough to see how BYRON MULLENS fits on a team with postseason aspirations. CENTERS: Though he's the team's only real rim protector, DEANDRE JORDAN will likely be in a part-time role again. He still can't defend the pick-and-roll, and Rivers got by just fine without a shot-blocker in Boston . . . RYAN HOLLINS is little more than a big body with six fouls to give. Blake Griffin will often slide to the five on this team.

DENVER: GUARDS: TY LAWSON is turning into something of a one-man army as the roster around him crumbles. As good as he is as a quick playmaker who can knock down an open three, his supporting cast is lacking . . . EVAN FOURNIER is better than RANDY FOYE now, and he's certainly a bigger part of Denver's future. Fournier proved surprisingly ready for the NBA last season. While Foye brings more scoring power to a team that suddenly lacks offense, he's both inefficient and one-dimensional . . . NATE ROBINSON will provide instant offense and lead the second unit . . . ANDRE MILLER will lose a few minutes this year, but the 37-year-old still has good basketball left. FORWARDS: Coming off a late-season ACL tear, DANILO GALLINARI will be lucky to make it back by December . . . KENNETH FARIED will likely never develop into anything more than an energy guy and high-volume rebounder, but he's good at what he does . . . WILSON CHANDLER can shoot and defend multiple positions. With Gallinari a question mark, he could be in for a much bigger role this year . . . DARRELL ARTHUR is an interesting second-unit player. He's an athlete who was starting to show some skill in Memphis before getting hurt . . . Gunning wingman JORDAN HAMILTON may get a longer look in the second half of the season . . . QUINCY MILLER is likely ticketed for more D-League action . . . ANTHONY RANDOLPH is a lost cause. CENTERS: The time has arrived for JAVALE MCGEE. The front office wants him on the floor full-time. For all the knucklehead plays, he's still an incredible athlete in a massive 7-foot frame . . . Talk of J.J. HICKSON potentially starting is absurd. A brutal defender unable to play within the flow of an offense, he's a second-unit talent . . . TIMOFEY MOZGOV is Plan B behind McGee. The 7-footer can defend and set screens.

Griffin and the Clippers look to make it 12 straight wins Monday night when they visit the Denver Nuggets.

Griffin has scored at least 20 points in 26 straight games, averaging 27.3 on 55.2 percent from the floor. That impressive stretch has been key since Los Angeles (48-20) has recently dealt with the absence of Jamal Crawford (calf), Darren Collison (stomach virus) and J.J. Redick (hip), leaving the team without a combined average of 45.2 points.

Crawford, second on the team with 18.7 points per game, could be out for a fifth consecutive game, while Redick hasn't played since a 116-115 loss at Denver on Feb. 3.

Collison fell ill just before Sunday's 102-80 win over Cleveland, but it didn't matter as Griffin came up two assists shy of a triple-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds on his 25th birthday.

That gave the Clippers 11 straight wins, matching the 1974-75 Buffalo Braves for the second-longest streak in franchise history. Los Angeles won 17 straight Nov. 28-Dec. 30, 2012.

"This stretch of games that we've played and we've been successful has been a huge team effort," Griffin said. "Guys have stepped up and really done their part. With our team, I don't think it's one guy that's making us go. I genuinely believe it's been a total team effort."

That could explain why Griffin's 36 points, 11 rebounds and five assists weren't enough against the Nuggets on Feb. 3.

That was one of 18 games Chris Paul missed with a separated shoulder. He'll be available this time after scoring 16 points while dishing out 15 assists against the Cavaliers.

The star guard is averaging 22.2 points while connecting on 52.9 percent from the floor over his last nine visits to Denver (29-37).

The Clippers, though, have lost 12 of their past 14 games there, including three in a row.

Denver failed in a bid for a third straight win, falling 97-92 at Atlanta on Saturday to cap a 2-3 road trip. Kenneth Faried had 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting, but Ty Lawson was held to a season-low two and missed all 12 of his field-goal attempts.

He should be happy to return home, where he's averaging 27.0 points in his last three games.

Lawson isn't the only Nuggets player scoring at a high rate at the Pepsi Center lately. The team is averaging 125.7 points during a three-game stretch there, but has surrendered 122.7 in that span.

Denver's point guard has also been effective in his last three home contests against the Clippers, connecting on 58.3 percent of his field goals - 6 of 13 3-pointers - while averaging 24.0 points. He scored 27 in February's win, while Faried had 28 with 11 boards.

Faried is averaging 24.0 points and 10.3 rebounds in his past six games.